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Semi-official Rochelle webcam discussion thread

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Posted by blhanel on Tuesday, August 26, 2014 7:59 PM

So's the spider...

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Posted by traisessive1 on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 12:32 PM

Virginia Railway Express coaches just went through eastbound on UP, sandwiched between two flats. Pulled by a patched ex CNW.

10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ... 

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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 2:05 PM

Must have hit a quiet spell.  I have a tendency to do that.  Better get off line so others can see trains...

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Posted by cefinkjr on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 2:30 PM
Just watched BNSF roll 110 tank cars WB, with 2 NS units and a covered hopper on the point, and another covered hopper and 2 more NS units on the rear. I'm assuming this is an empty crude oil train (since it was going west). Very nice example of why railroading is so fascinating to me.

Chuck
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Posted by trainfan1221 on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 3:09 PM

Just went to it, seconds later a UP intermodal went past. Nice!

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Posted by cefinkjr on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 3:17 PM
The Rochelle web cam is beginning to interfere with my getting other things done on my computer. I'm trying to watch trains, listen to music, monitor emails, and program all at once. (OOPS, just missed the DMU at the end of a UP coal train; had this window open in front of the web cam.)

Chuck
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Posted by vsmith on Thursday, August 28, 2014 10:02 AM

Seconding request for broomsticking the spider web. Can someone take care of this? Its very annoying to have a dead bug in a web jiggling in the direct center of the diamond Devil

   Have fun with your trains

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Posted by northwesterner on Thursday, August 28, 2014 11:19 AM

Does anyone know what BNSF is loading/unloading with the cars on the Del Monte spur? I just saw a number of boxcars, and a  lumber spine car being pushed down the spur. Thanks for your help!

C&NW - Route of the Kate Shelley
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Posted by cefinkjr on Thursday, August 28, 2014 8:51 PM
vsmith

Seconding request for broomsticking the spider web. Can someone take care of this? Its very annoying to have a dead bug in a web jiggling in the direct center of the diamond Devil

Sick in bed all day so didn't get to admire the spider's most recent catch. I say "most recent" because the one I complained about and the whole web were gone for a few days. In all fairness though, spiders are very persistent critters and, when they find a productive location for a web, it takes a lot to move them. And forget most insecticides; they don't seem to notice Raid. I suggested a broom (to sweep the web away) but maybe broomSTICK (to persuade the spider to relocate) might be better after all.

Chuck
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Thursday, August 28, 2014 10:46 PM

Gotta be careful suggesting that "someone" go "take care of" the spiderweb... those cameras and their mounts are not really all that rugged, and at the distance the "broom" would have to reach (without the aid of a ladder to get on the roof and then up the slope of the roof to the camera at the peak), the "helpful person" would have a difficult time doing the desired task without whacking the camera, either breaking it or getting it pointed at the sky or the roof.

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by Mookie on Friday, August 29, 2014 6:22 AM

Happened to catch something just before dark that swiped the lens.  Spider gone so far this morning. 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by cefinkjr on Friday, August 29, 2014 10:25 AM
I wonder if a garden hose might not do the trick. Most spiders are not real fond of getting wet.

Chuck
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Friday, August 29, 2014 12:20 PM

The 'old wives tale" is that you have to destroy a web 3 times before it will give up on that location and move on, but that just hangs an "Available" sign for the next spider.

 

 

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Friday, August 29, 2014 2:32 PM

Semper Vaporo

The 'old wives tale" is that you have to destroy a web 3 times before it will give up on that location and move on, but that just hangs an "Available" sign for the next spider.

Location.  Location.  Location.

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Posted by nyc#25 on Sunday, August 31, 2014 8:42 AM

What are those bars that resemble a piece of panel rail (but obviously is not)

that are just to the left of the benches in the foreground?

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Posted by cefinkjr on Sunday, August 31, 2014 5:03 PM
nyc#25

What are those bars that resemble a piece of panel rail (but obviously is not) that are just to the left of the benches in the foreground?

I believe that's a decorative (?) roof over a picnic table at the bottom of the adjacent stairs. Whatever it is, I've seen several kids walking on the "rail". I know they're just being kids but I cringe every time I see that. I'm expecting a twisted ankle at best; a tumble to the lower level at worst.

Chuck
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Posted by Deggesty on Sunday, August 31, 2014 5:37 PM

About how often is the connecting track between the UP and the BNSF used?

Johnny

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Posted by cefinkjr on Sunday, August 31, 2014 7:09 PM
Deggesty

About how often is the connecting track between the UP and the BNSF used?

If you're asking about the track that leaves the BNSF and curls around to the left, it's not a connecting track. It serves a good-sized industry but, as far as I know, there is no UP connection. Check Google Earth. Can someone tell us what that industry is? The wide variety of cars I've seen being switched in and out makes me wonder. Or are there more industries there than I've spotted?

Chuck
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Sunday, August 31, 2014 7:32 PM

Look further west and you will see that it does eventually connect to the UP line.

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by cefinkjr on Sunday, August 31, 2014 8:15 PM
So it does. OK, so back to the original question: Any idea how often it's used as a connecting track? Does UP switch that industry? Any idea what the industry is / does?

Chuck
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Posted by STEVEL on Sunday, August 31, 2014 9:06 PM

That is a example of the earliest metal track.  it's a thin strip of iron attached to a wooden timber. There was a sign there years ago that gave info about it.  

 

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, August 31, 2014 10:52 PM

STEVEL

That is a example of the earliest metal track.  it's a thin strip of iron attached to a wooden timber. There was a sign there years ago that gave info about it.  

There's a short blurb about it, and an illustration, here:

http://www.buffalohistoryworks.com/ptracks/chapter4/chapter4.htm

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Brian Schmidt on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 2:58 PM

There is a connection with the Union Pacific through a small yard "around the corner." BNSF uses the track in question to reach a few customers with joint access to both railroads. It seems to run once a day on weekdays only.

Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine

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Posted by DennisHeld on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 6:18 PM

I don't believe UP or BNSF use the track to the south of the diamonds as any interchange.  I do know that BNSF, the Rochelle RR (or whatever it's name is) and another short line using BNSF trackage rights from the northwest all switch the yard.  

UP does have a spur coming off the south track to the east of Rochelle which serves the east side industries and they set out many refrigerated cars from time to time.  I think the Rochelle RR handles it.  

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Posted by Grinandbearit on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 4:05 PM
A UP crew worked on the south UP track at the diamond from about 1030 to 1430 Wednesday September 3. The rocking of the freights across the diamond should be minimal after their work.
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Posted by chrisjmiller on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 5:05 PM

Just before 5pm a string of 12 locos went through heading for Savanna.  I assume only the lead BNSF was active, but the rest were in a gray color scheme (hard to be precise at this time of day when the sun is almost directly into the lens).  Were they bound for some short line I don't recognise?

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Posted by cefinkjr on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 5:41 PM
Grinandbearit
A UP crew worked on the south UP track at the diamond from about 1030 to 1430 Wednesday September 3. The rocking of the freights across the diamond should be minimal after their work.
Gee. I wonder if my reporting a potential problem on this forum had anything to do with the crew working on it. Probably not but I'm going to assume it did; makes me feel good.

Aside to UP Track Supervisor: No thanks necessary. Several Division Engineers I worked for and with made me do it.

Chuck
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Posted by Deggesty on Friday, September 5, 2014 12:05 PM

I just noticed a westbound train of reefers go through on the UP. Every car--except those that had an orange stripe near the top and at the bottom--had been defaced. I could not tell anything more about the cars that had escaped the work of the egotists.

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Posted by cefinkjr on Friday, September 5, 2014 12:10 PM
Deggesty

I just noticed a westbound train of reefers go through on the UP. Every car--except those that had an orange stripe near the top and at the bottom--had been defaced. I could not tell anything more about the cars that had escaped the work of the egotists.

I just watched the same train. I like your word --- defaced --- for graffiti. It's almost as bad as pop-up ads on certain web sites.

I think the reefers with the orange stripes are just newer and haven't had their turn under the spray cans yet.

Chuck
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Posted by traisessive1 on Saturday, September 6, 2014 8:33 AM

There are some of these cars, maybe some of the very same ones (they come up from the US), that CP spots to two different plants in Portage La Prairie,  Manitoba.

The Cyro-Trans ones (orange bar) seem less tagged than the white ones ... which like said above ... are all covered.

They come and go to the same spots so why is one group only being tagged?

10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ... 

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